How to Determine if Your Boiler Needs a Repair or Replacement

New York City property owners and managers know that their heat and hot water boilers are the heart of their buildings’ proper functioning. Whether you’re talking about a large residential or commercial property, a faulty boiler can cause huge disruptions for tenants and headaches for you. Therefore it’s imperative to stay on top of boiler repair at all times.

With autumn just around the corner, now is the time to evaluate your boiler to see if it needs repair or replacement. Do not wait until September or later to do this assessment! Waiting too long puts you into cooler weather in New York, which is when tenants demand working heat and when professional boiler repair services may not be able to accommodate you as fast as you’d like.

Here are some signs indicating that your boiler needs attention, so you can call in the pros before cold weather is upon us. Pro tip: many of these signs are also applicable for single-family home boilers, just on a smaller scale. August is the perfect time for you to check the health of your boiler too.

No Heat or Hot Water

The most obvious sign

If your property is not receiving adequate heat or hot water, this is usually a clear sign that something is wrong with the boiler. We’re talking about uniform poor performance here. If only some units have poor heat or diminished hot water supply, that may be due to inadequate pressure, your plumbing delivery system, or radiators that need repair or replacement.

Boiler Firing at Wrong Intervals

Too hot or too cold

Your boiler may be turning on and off at the wrong intervals. At one end of this spectrum is a boiler that comes on too infrequently, usually resulting in sparse heat that’s not enough for your tenants’ comfort.

A boiler that fires too frequently may cause overheating in units. A clear sign of this is tenants opening their windows or walking around in shorts during the winter months. Their hot water may be too hot, resulting in scalds or burns, a situation that must be avoided.

Sometimes this is a relatively easy fix if the thermostat needs adjustment or repair. Tepid tap water may also point to poor insulation in your boiler and delivery system. However, if your thermostat is set properly and your boiler and pipes are well insulated, it’s time to call a boiler specialist to see what’s going on.

Excessively High Utility Bills

Wasted money

When your boiler fires too frequently, whether because of a thermostat issue or a problem with the boiler itself, you’ll see the results in overly high utility bills. If you notice a sudden rise in your gas costs that can’t be explained by the price of gas, or if your bills are much higher than other properties of the same size, the first place to look is your boiler.

Carbon Monoxide Buildup

A dangerous warning

The accumulation of carbon monoxide, a natural byproduct of combustion, can be dangerous, particularly for people who work in your boiler room. Carbon monoxide can easily replace oxygen in the body when it is breathed in, resulting in carbon monoxide poisoning or even death.

There are four key ways to tell if carbon monoxide is building up around your boiler:

• The boiler flame burns yellow instead of blue.
• Soot or black powder collects around the boiler, often near where it comes in contact with the flame.
• Your carbon monoxide detector triggers repeatedly, alerting you to hazardous levels of carbon monoxide in the air.
• Workers in the boiler room or nearby exhibit signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as unusual sleepiness or extreme fatigue that gets better when they leave that location.

If you observe any of these warning signs, call a boiler professional immediately. Always use a carbon monoxide detector, and evacuate the boiler room if its alarm sounds. Call 911 for any workers exhibiting signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Leaking Water

Multiple causes

Your boiler room should be dry, with no water leaking from the boiler or its constituent parts. If you notice leaks, large or small, it’s a sign you’ve got a problem that needs attention.

Boilers are not especially complicated, but there are lots of places from where water can leak, especially where two parts fit together. The drum of the boiler itself could also be leaking where corrosion has caused small breaches in the metal.

Over time, these leaks can widen. Additionally, a sudden change in pressure could force a rupture, sending hundreds of gallons of hot water spewing into the boiler room. Obviously, this is a scenario to be avoided, as it could result in burns and damaged property. Always tend to any leaks immediately before they become a threat to your building and personnel.

Age

Boiler life expectancy

Boilers typically have a long life expectancy of about 20 years or more. However, if yours is nearing the end of its lifespan, it may be time for a replacement. Have you been doing more repairs to your boiler lately or feeling like it’s just holding on?

While a new boiler can be costly, it can be far more expensive to wait until you have an emergency to purchase a new one. When you plan for a boiler replacement in advance, you can shop for the best model and price and select the least disruptive time to do the work. You can arrange for financing, if necessary. And you won’t be paying extra for emergency service calls or the only stock that’s available during the busy season.

Calray Boilers, New York City’s go-to experts, are here to help you with both routine maintenance and boiler repair or replacement. Don’t wait until September to heed the warning signs above or tend to other problems with your boiler system. Call Calray today at 212-722-5506 or use our easy online scheduling form to send us a message and book an appointment.